Fruit Juices Could Be Harming Your Child’s Oral Health

America’s kids are at an all time cavity high, and many believe juice may be the culprit. Juice, even when it claims to be 100% fruit juice, is very high in sugar. Many parents water their kids’ juices down, but this isn’t as helpful as you may thing. It has been recommended that children only drink up to 6oz of juice per day, although you may just want to consider banning it altogether!

Why does juice cause so many problems?

A 6oz Mott’s brand juice box contains 13 grams of sugar. The recommended sugar intake for children is around 25-30 grams of sugar a day, which means that a single juice box can almost max out their sugar allotment for the day! In addition, the harmful bacteria that lives in our mouths love to feed on sugar. This creates the acid that erodes your child’s sensitive enamel and causes cavities. The acids can also cause decay with can be a very painful and expensive reversal process.

We know that giving your child fruit juice is the easiest way to get them to eat their fruits. However, Auburn Family Dental suggests that you skip the fruit juices and instead offer your child more fruits during meals, with water to drink.

To schedule your child for a routine cleaning and exam, or you believe your child has a cavity, please call Auburn Family Dental, located in Wichita, KS.